Ice hockey fitness

[#66 0]

hi just wondering if anybody would be able to help me with the best ways of gettiing fit for ice hockey, i find that doing other sports that require running that im fit however in ice hockey matches i find it to keep on sprinting and get really tired quickly, also would anybody be able to help me with what i should be eating and drinking in the lead up before games. thanks

[Quintin 16]

Anaerobic training is what you need. What I do is 6 levels on stairs as quickly as I can, take a 30 second rest and then do it again. Or just sprint as fast as you can between 45 to 60 seconds.

[Patrick67 1]

I have a staircase in my house, unless I have guests, I always run up the stairs.

Works like a charm, been fast footed since I was wearing diepers.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

I too have been fast footed since i was little....I always run up my stairs..

[willy0314 0]

running up hills, stairs and sprints are all good. sprint for 45 secconds jog for 60 to 90 secconds, then repeat. Thats called HIIT (high intensity interval training). Plyometrics are good too. google some of that stuff.

as far as eating, you want something light on your stomach with alot of carbs. pasta is good. my personal favorite is a PBJ sandwich on multigrain bread with a gatorade. but thats become a pregame habit for me so i dunno..... try to eat 1.5 hours before you skate. dont stuff yourself either.

[analog999 0]

dont stuff yourself either.

yes, I can attest to that! also don't eat spicy foods that will make you fart or burp.. pissed others off at the bench ;)

[#66 0]

ok thanks for the information. however i did a search for Plyometrics but im still not really sure what it is so will someone be able to explain thanks.

[Quintin 16]

Put it simply, plyometrics is for hockey jumping exercises that involve a rapid deceleration of body mass followed immediately by rapid acceleration of that body mass in an opposing direction.

Basically, you're training your muscles to generate more force into your stride.

[gman 0]

Put it simply, plyometrics is for hockey jumping exercises that involve a rapid deceleration of body mass followed immediately by rapid acceleration of that body mass in an opposing direction.

Basically, you're training your muscles to generate more force into your stride.

For example; Find a small bench, or step, or actually a milk crate works perfectly. Stand on it. Now hope off backwards without trying to jump up and off. As soon as you hit the ground on both feet jump right back up on the crate without any pause or rest. You can use higher and higher crates as you get better. Or better, still, use the same milk crate and just do one leg at a time. Hope this helps....

[kmatt333 0]

dont stuff yourself either.

yes, I can attest to that! also don't eat spicy foods that will make you fart or burp.. pissed others off at the bench ;)

But it's always good for clearing yourself a little extra room in the slot....

[BGM 0]

All of these are good suggestions. Plyometrics works really well because of the rapid change of direction which is important in hockey--probably why you are getting tired in hockey though you are in good sprinting shape.

[The Playoff Beard 0]

Peter Twist's book Complete Conditioning for Hockey is really good. As for eating Willy is on point, eat proteins that will break down easily and carbs that will take a while to breakdown (a high glycemic index). PBJ on whole grain bread is great. Chicken and Pasta (no dairy) or Quick Egg Whites with whole wheat toast are good too!

(the previous post implied to eat all of these thing before a game)

[#66 0]

ok thanks for all youre help guys

[ShakeAndBake9 0]

You definlty don't want to kill your legs too often, esecially with cardio that is needed to train for hockey. Look into an abreviated training program for weights (it won't take too much of your time and if you aren't on steroids, will work awesome) and mix in about 1-2 days per week of cardio with it. Do cardio for only a few min. It is more important to work on springing every couple of min and then joggin for about 3times that.

I have been on a similar program for a year now and have had the best luck with my all around fitness and my hockey performance.

[asdfa 0]

you need to train yourself for short term high intensity work, so do a circuit with a small break between activities. a good basic one is walk for 45 seconds, jog for 30 seconds, sprint full speed for 15 seconds, repeat.

you also want to build up your VO2 max, i.e. train your body to work under oxygen debt. do something like 10 clapping pushups, 10 froggies (push up position and move your legs together up under you and back as fast as you can) 10 V-ups, 10 roll up and tuck (a crunch where you end with you hugging your knees in the air), 10 burpees (jump up, land, fall into push up position, then repeat), 10 leg drives and repeat if necessary.

[ShaneyB 0]

stretching. flexibility is always good.

[SB39 2]

For Plyo, you have to differentiate between training strength-speed and speed-strength. Strength speed, for example, would be improving how fast you can lift your max for some exercise, the squat and bench being two of the mainstays. Speed strength would be using lighter weights and manipulating/moving them as fast as possible and improving/maintaining control. Try both.

If you really want to get better, get a trainer to work with you teaching you Olympic lifts.